Junta42 puts content marketing to the test

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The marketing plan for recently launched Junta42 Match, an online marketplace for custom publishing and branded content solutions, will be a test of the content marketing philosophy expounded by Junta42 founder Joe Pulizzi.

According to the Junta42’s own definition, “content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience—with the objective of driving profitable customer action.”

Since Junta42 Match debuted on June 24, the service has made about one match every day, Pulizzi said, explaining that he has spent approximately a year amassing content on the Junta42 Web site to develop relationships with marketers who—by their choice of reading material—have shown an interest in custom media, custom publishing, branded content and other phrases that equate to content marketing.

Junta42 has more than 2,000 articles and a database of 118 blogs to which it can link. The site is now attracting 10,000 unique monthly visitors, Pulizzi said. A tab at the top of every page links visitors to Junta42 Match with one click.

While content-driven search engine optimization has been the primary traffic driver to Junta42 up until now, Pulizzi said he will be introducing a robust search engine marketing program with Google AdWords in a few weeks.

“We have learned that you can’t rely on just one channel to get the word out,” Pulizzi said. In addition to SEO and SEM, Junta42 Match will be backed by print advertising. Also, on July 1, Pulizzi and co-author Newt Barrett released “Get Content, Get Customers,” a how-to book for businesses of all sizes looking to grow their businesses using custom content.

Junta42 Match is free for marketing and association professionals who have content needs and are willing to complete a project survey. The service will provide up to five providers from among the 140 advertising agencies, interactive firms, content agencies, custom publishers and other content experts who have joined Junta42 Match so far.

The potential vendors are being offered a 60-day free trial to start. The service will then cost $399 per month or $3,995 per year. Members of American Business Media and the Custom Publishing Council will pay discounted rates.